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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. chip — to eat
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fine — high quality
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mug — a face
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stem — to come from
  16. rule — government
  17. mate — a partner
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fine — all right
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com